DOE Launches New Web Site to Bring Energy Technology Information to the Public

Energy Secretary Stephen Chu announced that the Department of Energy (DOE) is launching Open Energy Information (www.openEI.org), a new open-source Web platform that will make DOE resources and open-energy data widely available to the public.

Government officials, the private sector, project developers, the international community, and others will use the data and tools housed on the free, editable and evolving wiki platform to deploy clean-energy technologies across the country and the world.

“This information platform will allow people across the globe to benefit from the Department of Energy’s clean-energy data and technical resources,” Chu said. “The true potential of this tool will grow with the public’s participation, as they add new data and share their expertise.”

The DOE worked closely with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and other National Laboratories to develop and populate the Open Energy Information platform. The site currently houses more than 60 clean-energy resources and data sets, including maps of worldwide solar and wind potential, information on climate zones, and best practices.

The American public and the global energy community will have the opportunity to upload additional data to the site and download more information. OpenEI.org also will play an important role by providing technical resources, including U.S. lab tools, which can be used by developing countries as they move toward clean- energy deployment. Over time, the plan is to expand this portal to include online training and technical expert networks.